speidel



` EIEM. 4sPElDgL'` July 28, 1931,. CHAIN Re. 18,141

origini-grind uarcnvs, 1930 1 lllilllllll IN V EN TOR.

A TToRNEx/s.

Reissuecl July 28, 1931 PATENT OFFICE EDWIN F. M. SPEIDEL, F CBANSTON, RHODE ISLAND CHAIN Original No. 1,783,552, datedlanuary 13, 1931, Serial No. 483,783, led March 6, 1930. Application for reissue led March 26, 1931.

This invention relates to a chain of the type used for bracelets, watch straps and the like; and has for an obj ect to provide a practical and advantageous construction, each of 6 the links of which is identical, with parts of one link directly connecting with parts of the next link.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which may be of plated stock withits inner and outer exposed portions covered with the plate of the stock to enhance and cause it to maintain its appearance. v A further object of the invention is to provide the bracelet of open work construction,

which may be formed by bending and swagin'g the metal into the desired shape.

With these and other objects and advantageous features in view, the-invention con- 3 Isists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, i-n conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more particularly set forth in the appended claims. v .z5 In the drawings: Y

' Fi 1 is a top plan View of a portion of the c ain; l Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan view of twolinks before a0 being bent into finished position;

Fig. i is a side elevation of the chain;

Fi 5 is a central section on 'the line 5-5 `of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective vview of one of the .3.5 links bent into U-form;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a 1 further opration o flattening the cross piece between t e arms;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the .4 body or cross piece between the arms as notched;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the studs or trunnions as formed thereon as being rounded and the holes pierced in the arms;

lFigs. 10 and 11 are sections on the lines 10--10 and 11--11 respectively of Figure 8, showing the stock as of a plated construction.

: It is found desirable to form a bracelet Serial No. 525,579.

chain of such construction as to leave openings therethrough to permit the iiesh to be exposed through the braceletwhen worn upon the arm; and one method of providing such a construct-ion which will be thin and comfortable upon the wrist and one which may have a lated surface on vits exposed parts, I have ent a piece ofplated wire into U-shape, displaced the stock by flattening the cross piece between the U arms and have then suitably notched this flattened portion to provide a recess intowhich the ends of the arms of the next link may rest, thereby forming these arms in parallel relation. The ends of the arms of each link are given aligned pivotal connections within these notches as shown in the drawings by studs fitting within recesses, and the.k studs may be formed upon the iattened portions by leaving suflicient metal when the notch is cut away. The following is a detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention illustrating a preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawings, Figure 6 illustrates a piece of wire folded into U- shape with arms 11 and a cross piece or bar 12. The bar 12 is fiattened by swaging, as illustrated at 13, and at the same time the arms 14 are tapered, as shown in Figure 7 Notches 15 are cut in the body to leave studs 16 which are suitably rounded as at 17, to be receivedin openings 18 adjacent the ends of the tapered arms 14, as illustrated in Figure 9, whereby a chain is formed as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Although excellent results are attained in this manner, nevertheless it is to be understod that the broader features of this invention are not limited to these details.

In joining the links together, the arms 14 are at first diverging, as illustrated in Figure 3, which allows them to be snapped by the spring of the stock over the round pins 17, after which they are bent inwardly by suitable operations so as to be in line as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. By using metal of such nature that it may be swaged into the desired form, there are attained not only the advantages of easy shaping, including ornamentation if desired, but also the characteristic that the metal will, while bendable as in assembling the links, nevertheless tend to retain the form into which itis bent so as to permit a dependable connection without the use of additional parta The flattening of the cross piece :12 to form the body ldisplaces the stock from the top of the link and leaves the bottom 19 smooth, as illustrated in Figure?, in order not to forlnlanyY sharp edges or uneven surface which might be uncomfortable to the arm when worn.

, From the above construction and from Figures 10 and 11, it will be observed that I have preserved the outer plated surface 20 of the wire from which the linkwas'ormed with the only parts exposed being about the notches 15, which are substantially covered by the ends 18 of the Wire extending thereinto. Each of the ends is, however, suitably curved as at 21 to' allow for greater flexibility of the structure.

Various appearances of the chain so constructed may be obtained by variously shaping the cross bar 12 or lthe arms 11 to provide avariety of effects. y

While I have described certain construcr tion forms which embody the principleaof my invention, it is obvious that; other desired changes in arrangement may/be made within the spirit and the scope offthe invention as'deined in the 4appvei'ided claims.

I claim: lf 1. bracelet chain or the like comprisin a series of links, each link generally U-shape and of a single'piece of wire, the cross piece between the arms of the U being, attened to be generally in the plane of the-chain'and having notches cut laterally iiiwardl'y'om its ed e to leave studs, the opposite arms of the U aving recesses to receive said studs and .hingedly' connect the links together.f

2. A bracelet chain or theV like comprising a seriesof links, each link generally U-slfap'ed and of a single piece of metal, the cross piece between the arms of the U being attened to lie substantially within the planes of the u'pper and lower surfaces of said arms, and having notches extending laterally inwardly from its edge to leave space for the ends of the arms of the next link, and studs and recesses on said p arts adapted to hingedly connect the links together at said notches.

' 3. A bracelet chain or the like comprising a series of links, each link generally U-shaped Y and of a single piece of metal, the cross piece between the arms of the U beingfilattened to be generally in the plane of the chain and having notches extending laterally inwardly fromV its ed e to leave space for the ends of the arms 0 the next link, and studs and recesses on said parts adapted to hinge-diy connect theJinks together at said notches, said arms being tapered from their ends toward the cross piece and being substantially longer than the extent of said cross-pieces in the direction of the length of the chain to provide substantial openings between successive crossieces.

4. bracelet chain or the like comprisin aseries af link, each link generally-U-ahape andof a single piece of metal, the ao plece between the arms of the U being flattened t0 be generally in the plane of the chain and'havi'ng notches extending laterally inwardly from its edge to leave space for the ends of the arms of the next link, and studs andl recesses. on. said Y s adapted. te hingedly connect the lin s together at said notches, said arms being tapered from their ends toward the crow and cursed' longitudinally to conform to the shapeoLthe-'arm and being substantially longer thanfthefsx, tentV of said cross-piecesin thedirectiouoi the length of ther chain to Vprovidersul'Jstantial openings between successrvefcmssf- 'vf-1 5. In a bracelet chain, in combination, av

plurality of each: substantially: U-

shaped, each .including a dat body portion and specedarmsL-extendingffrrmxd body portion lengthwiseafthiechnin, saidbodypen tion having notches: en the,y opposite.: sides thereof, and the ends of the arms of an ing linkftting within saillnutches te maintam said arms substantially with respect to eachother said indy/.portion ylyi substantiallyfwithinithe plaznesf of. thefupperrgg and lowersurfaees oizsmd ar1ns,:and: mmns psvotally' 'comeding the arms of mclink: to

the bodry Vportions of' an adjoining; ihk, ,the1

wrist-contacting surfaces "of ams and of said body portien'fallingqsubstantdlyfin afsingle plane.

6. In a braceetdninconstmction, inmembination, a plurality of linke, linkzin- 2"05 clmling a flat body pmtion and armal extending lengthwise of the chain and indent.- tions in saidbody porticato: receivetbeends of the vafrntls-ofrthe neat sucee link so that said armslare--substaatielly-parallel with each otherand in-substmltial alignmentwith the arms-of the nent:v succeeding-link, and a pivotal connection between the body-p0rtion of one'link and theeuds-.of thearms of a succeeding link, saidtl'icdyf portion lying substantially within the planesothefupper and lower suriaces-of saidz arms-wand. the wrist-contacting surfaces of. the alfmsf and vbody portion of any one-link fallngfsubstantially in a singleplama 7. In a bracelet chain, in combi fa plurality of links, each sabstantiallyY U- sh d andincluding a fiat vcimes teliing crosswise of the bracelet-,chain and being substantially longer crosswise, them lengthwise of the chain and time. spaced bandable arms integrally'formedw'ith saixlcross piece and extendingl lengthwisefo theehuis, said cross piece having notches on the opposite sides thereof 'to-receive.' the eudsfoflthe-` arms of the next succeeding link and to maintain said arms substantially parallel, thereby to form an open-work chain, and studs formin a pivotal connection between the ends o the arms of one link and the cross piece of a succeeding link, said arms being capable of being bent out of parallelism to disconnect and maintain disconnected said pivotal connection and said cross-piece lying substantially Within the planes of the upper and lower surfaces of said arms.

8. In a bracelet chain, in combination. a

lurality of pivotally connected substantially B-shaped links, each comprising a body portion and a pair of arms connected with the next link, said body portions being materially longer crosswise than lengthwise of the chain and being flattened to lie substantially within the planes of the upper and lower surfaces of said arms and said arms being substantially longer than the extent of said body portions in the direction of the length. of the chain to provide substantial openings between successive body portions.

9. In a bracelet chain, in combination, a plurality of links, each comprising a body portion extending crosswise of the chain and a pair of substantially parallel arms pivotally connected with the body portion of the next link, each arm presenting a substantially plane-faced unbroken edge for contact with the wrist, and each of said body portions being notched to receive the free ends of the arms of the next link in a position in which they substantially lie end to end with the following arms, said body portions being flattened to lie substantially within the planes of the upper and lower edges of the corresponding arms and said arms being of such length as to space successive body portions by openings of substantial size, the wrist-contacting edges of the arms of successive links being substantially alined, thereby to present a substantially continuous bearing on the wrist.

10. In a bracelet chain, in combination, a plurality of substantially alined links each substantially U-shaped in external appearance when on the wrist and comprising a cross-piece extending crosswise of the bracelet chain and being substantially longer crosswise than lengthwise of the chain and two spaced arms integrally formed with said cross-piece and extending lengthwise of the chain for normally receiving between their free ends the cross-piece of an adjacent link, thereby to give the chain an exposed ladderlike appearance, said links being of swageable metal, and hinge means for connecting and disconnecting said links and dependent for connecting and disconnecting action upon the bend of said arms into or out of normal position and upon the retention .by said arms of the bend to which they are subjected, said hinge means having coacting portions whereby one link is pivotable to either side of the plane of its adjacent link.

11. In a bracelet chain, in combination, a series of links each comprising a body portion extending crosswise of the bracelet chain and being substantially longer crosswise than lengthwise of the chain and two spaced arms extending from said body portion lengthwise o the chain, the opposite sides of said body portion havin notches to receive the ends of the arms of t e next succeeding link and to maintain said arms substantially parallel with the arms of the next succeeding link, thereby to form an openwork chain, and studs and recesses for receiving said studs forming a pivotal connection between the ends of the arms of one link and the body portion of the next succeeding link, said connection being disengageable by bending an arm to bring a stud out of its recess, and said notches being of suiiicient expanse to cause relative swinging of the links in either direction from a flat position of the chain.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specilication this 23rd day of March, 1931.

, EDWIN F. M. SPEIDEL. 

